Blocks And 3d Puzzles

Phonics – How Important is This Method in Teaching Kids to Read?

It has been said that learning to read is not a natural process. As Mitford Mathews said, “Words are not like tadpoles or flowers or horses. Words are man-made…”   Many numbers of changes have been made throughout the years regarding the systems for teaching reading in an attempt to make learning to read easier.

In the one room school era spelling was considered very important and spelling bees were quite popular.  When I was in grade school in the early 1950’s I remember participating in spelling bees; and I was quite good too.

Blocks help kids learn 100 basic sight words

Make a website - sell products online

There have been many tough years behind us and too many people are jobless, looking for a new job, or maybe, even have given up job hunting.  Not everyone has the opportunity to go to college because they have to work where ever they can find employment, even if it is only for a few hours a day.

I have been encouraging everyone I meet to look into how to build a web site and selling products online. I believe it will be the only way some of us will be able to pay our bills and begin a new career without spending a lot of money.

If you are looking for a way to make money online then you may already know some of the difficulties that are actually involved with such a business. You probably see offer after offer telling you about the latest product that will assist in building an online business for you. Perhaps you have even purchased one of these products in the past. Chances are it did not work for you. With so many pretend products out there, how does anyone know what they can actually count on to show them the ropes of online business success?

The Chris Douthit System is the difference maker.  After all Chris stamped his name on this one, if you put your name on anything, especially the title, you better make sure it delivers. This is why I have decided to promote this product for him and hopefully open up a new and exciting career path for many men and women who need a new avenue of income.

First I love how Chris  is going to offer up some free videos on his website so new possible customers can see the kind of quality which will be delivered before they purchase.  I also love the fact that people won’t have to learn from an ebook, only high quality video tutorials that don’t skip a beat. Video’s allow the trainee to actually see the work and visual aids help many remember better.

Chris also lays out very clearly exactly what his membership site is going to be doing for each person considering if  the time is right to purchase such a product. I hate those sites that tell you they have some new secret method to making money, but do not explain what that is until after your purchase. Don’t believe the hype, chances are, if it’s a secret, it’s a secret because it does not work.

Let the training begin, wow, if you want training you just found the right place to get some . Chris offers up complete courses on making mini sites that profit and then how to market those sites to success on a very tight budget. Search engine traffic, article marketing, email marketing, buying media ads, and using pay per click search engines is just the start. Expect to soon be a traffic master.

Chris implements a no man gets left behind mentality. Where other courses will skip the beginner material, Chris has no problem taking the extra time to include this information for those who need it . If that wasn’t enough, you also get a private members forum where Chris Douthit himself answers your questions and helps you along if for any reason you get stuck. Brilliant!

Now here is where the real value comes in. Chris has personally been a member at other coaching sites and every one of them tells you to go buy other products to run your business. And this is fair, you have many needed tools that assist in creating a profitable business.  But this is where the Chris Douthit System differs. Chris is going to include many of those needed tool for his members.  And the few tool he does not provide he shows you how to get for very very cheap. 80% off of what everyone else pays in some cases.

Do the other coaching courses just not have this info or are just trying to persuade their members to sign up under an affiliate link so the coach can generate additional commissions?  You will see nothing like that from the Chris Douthit System. When Chris says he can show you how to set up a business for lower costs verses any other success coach he isn’t kidding.

In addition members of Chris Douthit System will receive free hosting, free membership site software, and transaction fees paid for by Chris.  Talk about going above and beyond any other coaching program out there.

Similar coaching website are charging almost a hundred dollars and delivering far less training, far fewer products and overall value to their members. Chris might be crazy, or crazy smart, but he is letting anyone review the whole website for only $2.95 start up fee.

In my opinion the Chris Douthit System has the most information, support, and over all products and benefits to its members. It does not matter if you are a complete newbie or a part time expert. Chris will make sure you get to where you need to be and you will soon be on your way to an Internet business success.

We will be putting up a new website with further information on the exciting product launch.  It will also include more about Chris himself and his past product launches. For those who wish to sign up for future updates on the October 17th product launch you will be able to sign up for our e-mail list and receive a free e-book to help you get started on your new career course.

Watch this BLOG for our new website address!  Get ready to sore on a new career path and make money online selling products!

Wooden Pond Lacing Toy

Do you remember having lacing cards as a child? I do. And I remember enjoying them quite a lot. They may have had something to do with my acquired love to sew later on in high school and into my adult life.

However, our line of wooden kids toys created by ImagiPLAY has gone two steps further than the lacing cards we had as children. Not only are these two sets, OceanScapes and PondScapes made of wood they are even packaged in their own wood storage box. Our lacing toys are children’s wooden toys that are a unique and creative take on the standard lacing cards on the market today.  Our Pond has an 8″ X 10″ colorful
background that kids will love.

Preschoolers develop fine motor and problem solving skills making this toy a wonderful toddler learning toy for ages 3 and up. Your kids will be involved in creative, fun play time while designing their own pondscape.

This wooden toy pond includes 15 critters to lace to the wood background and comes with cotton laces. Each of the critters therefore, becomes its own separate toy (for ages 3 and up). The critters may be played with along with other activities or laced onto the colorful background.

For parents who home school these two toddler learning toys will help in your lesson plans and then you could allow quiet play time with the set afterwards.

What is a pond?

A pond is a small area of still, fresh water. It is different from a river or a stream because it does not have moving water and it differs from a lake because it has a small area and is no more than around 1.8m deep. Some ponds are formed naturally, filled either by an underwater spring, or by rainwater – sometimes known as ‘dewponds’; other ponds are man-made.

Pond Animals

More than 1,000 species of animals live in ponds – although you are unlikely to find all of them in any single pond. Almost every group of living creatures is represented, except starfish which live only in the sea. In a large pond you may find mammals such as water voles and water shrews – and birds like ducks, herons and kingfishers.

Even the smallest pond will have a population of amphibians (frogs, toads and newts), small fish e.g. sticklebacks, and a huge variety of invertebrates (minibeasts). Some of these are herbivores such as water fleas and snails, whereas others are aggressive carnivores, hunting down their prey, the unfortunate herbivores! One of the largest invertebrate predators in a pond is the great diving beetle – no tadpole is safe when one of these hunters is around!

There is more interesting facts about ponds on this website (where I found the above information): http://www.ypte.org.uk/environmental/ponds/84

Both our PondScapes and OceanScapes lacing cards are normally priced at $19.99 and are now on sale for $18.00. These wooden kids toys will make a very nice Christmas gift!

Visit our website at http://www.blocksand3dpuzzles.com to see all our toddler toys.

You may have read part one of this two part series on our September 21^st post where we talked about four homework help tips; timing, space, music and helping.

This week we will spend time considering:

1. Rapid Review
2. Tarry and Toil
3. Paying Attention to Patterns
4. Relegating Responsibility

Rapid review – it is beneficial to refresh your child’s memory, especially in subjects such as math where one concept builds upon another.  Before she begins a day’s homework have her look back at yesterdays work and the remarks her teacher may had made regarding her homework.  Have your child explain those lessons’ concepts so that she can go on to her next assignment.  But, do not spend too much time on review so as to keep her fresh for her new assignments.

Secondly, if you notice your child is working for an extended time period on one assignment take notice if she appears tired or unfocused.  Is she doodling?  Maybe she does not understand her assignment. However, if she has been diligent and has still not finished in a reasonable amount of time it may be time to have her stop.  Let her teacher know how long she did work to accomplish the problems that she did complete.

Paying attention to patterns your child exhibits is important.  Homework is not supposed to be overly difficult and if your child frequently says she does not understand the work it may be a clue she needs extra support at school or even a tutor.  Likewise, if your child whips through her work she may not be challenged enough and could get bored.  Your child should have to put some time and thought into each assignment and if she finishes up too soon you may want to speak with her teacher for some suggestions.

And, fourthly, relegate responsibility. Your child, when old enough to do this, could have a check off list to take her own responsibility of her starting and finishing times.  When longer assignments are due help her map out her work with a calendar. This will help teach time-management and organizational skills. Break down larger assignments into doable smaller sized projects.  Check often to make sure she is not procrastinating and is staying pretty much on an acceptable time schedule in order to finish the whole assignment on time.

 In conclusion, when you have a child in school it is important to constantly communicate with her teacher.  As soon as the school year begins ask the teacher when and how the best time to communicate with her is.  Small issues can escalate quickly if not addressed right away and even if things seem to be progressing without incident it is a good idea to talk to your child’s teacher on a timely basis.  You want to make sure both you and your child’s teacher are pleased with the progress your child is making so there will be no unexpected surprises.

 Have a minute? Explore our educational toys on our website, All I Can Imagine.

Our preschool learning toys for children will enhance your child’s creative skills.  Pictured here is our penguins number puzzle. Ten interlocking, numbered pieces.

You will unlock endless hours of creative, safe play with kids toy blocks called ImagiBRICKS™.  These toys for toddlers will be the focus of this week’s Friday Feature.

ImagiBRICKS™ are kids building blocks and are educational kids toys designed to stimulate your children’s minds as they provide opportunities for creative, open-ended play.

MADE IN THE USA!

These giant cardboard building blocks are made right here in America. They are produced in Wisconsin where there is a large paper industry. Smart Monkey’s warehouse is near the plant where the blocks are produced. By keeping everything close, they are cutting down on the fuel needed to transport materials and providing much-needed jobs to American workers. The paper industry in our country has been struggling with many companies buying their cardboard from China. China has to import their raw materials from the U.S. or Canada to make their cardboard.

CHILDREN WHO HAVE A PHYSICAL DISABILITIES CAN PLAY WITH THESE CARDBOARD BLOCKS

The size and shape of these kids building blocks enables a caregiver to provide hand over hand assistance to a child without obstructing the child’s view.  The light weight of these cardboard blocks is beneficial to children with muscle weaknesses.  You may play catch with the toy blocks as they will not be harmed by tossing them and/or dropping them.  They are easier than a ball to catch and have no rough edges to hurt any child.  If your child can sit at a table he will still be able to do some stacking and/or sorting exercises/games.   He, too, will be able to develop eye-hand coordination and cooperative hand movements depending on his abilities.  And as with any young child he will delight in all the bright colors of this set of cardboard blocks!

These kid’s building blocks are geared for children 18 months and up and will provide open-ended play for both boys and girls.  The cardboard building blocks are available online and come in sets of 16, 24, 40 and bulk quantities.  Except for the 16 piece set which contains all large red, 12 x 6 x 3 inch building blocks all sets have three sized blocks in yellow, blue and red.

Another popular toy block sets are the Rainbow blocks which are the same size as the red blocks.  These Rainbow block sets include the red along with green, purple and orange.

Build Tall Towers with Rainbow Blocks

The 24 piece set of Rainbow blocks in on sale.

You can maxim your child’s academic success by staying informed and involved with your child’s homework and assigned projects.  You can effectively show your child the importance of sticking to a problem until the correct answer is achieved and praise her for her completion.

Homework is an important part of your child’s learning experiences and if they do not come home with homework on a regular basis it would be worth your time to speak to her teacher. Families may make the most of homework time with these four useful homework tips.

1. The Right Timing
2. Private Space
3. Music or Not
4. How Much Help

Timing is very important and each child’s personality and temperament must be considered. When some children get home from school they may need a break while others will lose steam if they do not sit right down and get into their books.  You can learn what is best for each child by trial and error then you will be ready to create a consistent routine based what works best for each child; of course, your own schedule will also need to be part of the decision.

Space.  A desk-like area is best for concentrating and doing their best homework.  It needs to be in an area where there are little or no distractions.  Therefore, a bedroom may not be the ideal space because all their toys are tempting them. A second location that may not be ideal is your kitchen table when there are other family members going in and out or through. Finding a consistent area away from distractions may be challenging but it is an important decision to make. 

Off or on – music or not. Parents need to consider their child’s learning style and the type of music if your child enjoys listening to music while studying.  Although a small percentage of children do do better with soft music in the background, the majority of children require a quite atmosphere.  It is best to refrain from having TV noise or familiar tunes playing that might distract your children’s concentration.  Instead, choose unfamiliar songs without words such as soothing classical music.  This may, in fact, help the entire family and help make for a more relaxed meal time atmosphere.

And finally, to bring this article of part one of homework tips to an end parents need to be aware of how much help they want to offer.  Each subject may require a different amount.  You can be busy with your own work but still keep an ear out for a child’s question or to notice their body language when they might be stuck.  You can always read together and help with directions.  Go through the first few questions to make sure you child understands the concepts and then let her do her own work on an independent basis.

It is a good idea to check in now and again and if you notice several mistakes encourage corrections.  But, remember, teachers need to and prefer seeing work with wrong answers so they can know where more teaching is needed.  If your child can have a homework buddy she can be in some contact with this may also help encourage her to try harder, especially if she is struggling on one particular concept.

When you child’s homework is finished they may need some active outdoor play time or maybe she can help with meal preparation.  Some children may just want to read or play quietly with a jigsaw puzzle.

You can see our line of Veggie Tales kids jigsaw puzzles and 3d wooden puzzles on our website All I Can Imagine

Part 2 of this article will be posted on Wednesday, Sept. 28^th.

Today, you are sure to think back to this day, ten years ago.  Many of you will experience pain, tears, and sorrow. I am sorry for your losses and continue to pray for you.

There are really no words to express all the feelings bombarding our spirits on the anniversary of the two planes flying into the two towers in New York as well as the other planes crashing into buildings.

I have a large colored picture on my office wall; it shows a large American flag waving in the background of the New York skyline (including the two towers).  In front of the skyline is the New York harbor with the Statue of Liberty standing tall and proud.

Although I have never been to New York, this picture is a beautiful remembrance for me of what others who live or lived or visited New York over ten years ago have been able to experience for themselves. It also reminds me of how the world used to be; a safer place – and more innocent.

To all the Firefighters, police men and women, and volunteers who helped on 9/11 and to those of you who lost friends, family and co-workers and to all Americans – this image is for you!

Keep praying for our brave men and women who have left home to serve our country and keep us safe! And, keep their families here at home in your prayers; they are experiencing their own sacrifices!

Apple Tree Wooden Bead Maze toy

You will be reading today about a favorite kid’s toy that has been a classic for over twenty years. Today’s Friday Feature products are the wire bead maze toys. They have been acclaimed to be one of the most fun educational toys in today’s market.

Also known as a rollercoaster toy, these wooden kid’s toys provide your young children a three-dimensional manipulative experience in the perceptual, motor, and language areas and is one of the most sought after toy for both kids and parents alike. Giving your young toddler a simple bead maze toy offers him or her more than just hours of delightful entertainment, it will help improve your children’s motor skills as well as cognition, detection and language.

From small wire toys to medium sized cubes (with a variety of other toys included) to large, complex bead maze toy tables, many types of bead mazes exist today. Engaging children of all ages maze toys have retained their popularity. With Christmas coming up these toddler learning toys are sure to be found on many parents and educators shopping lists.

And, as with any child’s toy parents will want to select a wire maze toy which is appropriate for the age of their children. One manufacturer of this popular wooden toy is ImagiPLAY. This company, located in Colorado, provides safe educational children’s toys painted with non-toxic paints.

If you are seeking your child’s first maze toy ImagiPLAY’s products are a good place to start as they carry a line of smaller sized bead mazes that are approximately 4 inches.  Their brightly colored selections include: green frog, brown bear, white kitty with black spots, a flower and an apple tree have been sized to fit in a stroller or your child’s car seat for great fun-as-you-go. This is a riveting toy and will keep children happy and occupied while you are busy driving.

Rollercoaster bead maze toys provide children the opportunity to slide colorful beads along wires that arch and loop interestingly around one another. Even older children and an adult can get interested in playing. This is a riveting toy that not only delights children but captivates their attention as soon as they are exposed to any sized maze toy that is age appropriate.

You will enjoy watching your child fall in love with his wire maze toy; watch him or her follow the colorful beads up and then down, and around the many gently and curves that spiral every which way. As your child moves the wood beads he can begin to count and spin each bead.  He can learn the difference between the colors and you could make a game of having him or her count the red beads, then the yellow beads and so on.

This is a great toddler toy for free play, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and more. This is why you will often find a maze toy of one size or another in waiting rooms such as your dentist’s office, pediatrician’s office, racquet club, spa, or your accountant’s office.

Parents and educators will feel a sense of security as they leave children alone with one of these delightful toddler toys because there are no loose parts to swallow. The smaller models can easily and safely travel with you when you go on both short or long trips and then they can be taken inside so your children may continue to be entertained throughout the day, afternoon and into the evening.

Children love figuring out the path of the beads from beginning to end.  This wire bead maze toy offers a level of early learning complexity to play. Another important benefit is the strengthening of hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills obtained in the play process.

This concludes the first Friday Feature Article. Our series will continue through November with a new toy category each Friday.  Read our Press Release.

For over a decade, ImagiPLAY has created high-quality educational toys that inspire children’s imaginations and the desire to explore. With the abundance of toys available for children today, ImagiPLAY sets itself apart from the rest through its motto: “Toys with Integrity.” By producing quality products that connect with nature, have eco-friendly sources, and hold educational value, ImagiPLAY works to benefit the earth we share and the people that inhabit it.

Founder and President Barbera Aimes offers children’s toys that represent her true passion: our planet. After studying languages and music in Japan and across the US, this nurturing earth mother explored ways in which she could communicate her desire to make the world a gentler, move loving place. In her mid thirties, she found that the natural beauty of Boulder, Colorado was the ideal place to call home, establish her business, and create a positive change amongst the people around her. “All my life I’ve wanted to leave this earth with some kind of beneficial legacy,” Barbera explains, “If there is one thing I can leave on this earth, it would be to help children appreciate our world.” Through the language of play, Barbera and ImagiPLAY have inspired children across the globe to discover the world on their own terms and communicate with the environment. With ImagiPLAY’s child safe and earth safe toys, games and collectibles, children enrich their ability to count, learn the alphabet, and identify different animals while gaining a true sense of the world’s beauty and diversity of species.

Producing toys using only materials and processes that show respect for the planet and all the people and creatures upon it has remained ImagiPLAY’s promise and challenge. All of ImagiPLAY’s toys are made from eco-friendly materials, with plantation-grown rubberwood being a favorite. Rubber trees produce a sap that is used to make latex products. At the end of their latex-producing years (generally 25-30 years) the trees are harvested and new ones planted. But these wonderful trees have one more gift to give us - their beautiful, splinter-free hardwood, from which ImagiPLAY makes many of its award winning, heirloom quality toys.

ImagiPLAY’s factories are placed close to the neighborhoods where its craftsmen live so that the majority of them can walk or ride their bikes to work each day, enabling its craftsmen to maintain quality relationships with their own children while they make toys for others.

ImagiPLAY products have been recognized by the media, children’s advocacy groups, and parents’ organizations for their outstanding quality, design and ability to inspire imagination. It has received awards from Parenting Magazine, Creative Child Magazine, Dr. Toy, Parents’ Choice Foundation and many other well-respected groups. But most importantly, ImagiPLAY’s products have helped thousands of children worldwide to discover themselves and their world as they navigate the waters of the human Age of Exploration.

Aimes’ lifelong commitment to her values finally allowed her to discover something she is proud to leave as her legacy to this earth and a worthwhile contribution to its people. And having a kid-focused business keeps her young, young-at-heart, and joyful.

ImagiPLAY’s children’s wooden toys, toddler learning toys (including wood blocks) may be viewed at All I Can Imagine.

This term, “Nature Deficit Disorder” may be a new disorder you have not heard of.  If your child does not get outside enough and is not exposed to nature preserves and forests or parks he may be at risk.

Electronic games, computer games and other toys children have nowadays (that were not even invented while I was a child) can easily take up too much of your children’s time.  When was the last time you and your family went out to a nature preserve and spent the day exploring different trees and critters?

Kids and nature just naturally go together but if your children play too many computer games they may never find the excitement of seeing a frog or a worm or a pretty red cardinal.  Studies suggest that interacting with nature can help children develop their five senses and diminish emotional problems as well as attention deficit disorders.

Getting out in nature is also a great way for family bonding. There will be less time spent saying “no” and you can just have fun together with no strict planned agenda.  This is better for everyone’s emotional being (even stressed out moms). 

You could also plan a day out that would be consistent with some school subject or lesson your child is involved in.  Or, your child may have shown some interest in something he saw in a book and you can find a museum or park where you can let him see something firsthand.

If you live in Atlanta:  Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center in Alpharetta has a 46 acre nature preserve and 2 miles of hiking trails.  In Palmetto, Cochran Mill Nature Center has a log cabin and 50 wooden acres.  Gainesville’s Elachee Nature Science Center is at the entrance to 1,400 acres of woods and is the first designated nature center in Georgia.